January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month. Is you senior parent at risk for developing glaucoma and/or vision loss? Glaucoma is a group of diseases that damage the eye’s optic nerve and can result in vision loss and even blindness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Approximately 3 million Americans have glaucoma. While there is no cure for glaucoma, early detection can help people take preventive action to preserve their vision health.
“Anyone can get glaucoma, but certain groups are at higher risk,” according to the CDC. “These groups include African Americans over age 40, all people over age 60, people with a family history of glaucoma, and people who have diabetes.”
In order to detect and manage glaucoma, you and your senior parent should get an annual comprehensive dilated eye exam. “Glaucoma is treated with eye drops, oral medicine, or surgery (or a combination of treatments) to reduce pressure in the eye and prevent permanent vision loss,” according to the CDC.
Is your senior parent taking the necessary steps to maintain healthy vision? Share these five tips, provided by the National Eye Institute, with your aging loved one to ensure that they achieve optimum eye heath:
- Eat a healthy diet. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables, particularly dark leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, or collard greens, can help keep your senior parent’s eyes healthy and disease free.
- Get active and maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight increases your aging parent’s risk of developing diabetes, which increases their risk of developing glaucoma.
- Wear sunglasses. Sun exposure is associated with developing cataract and age-related macular degeneration. The best sunglasses are those that block out 99-100 percent of both UVA and UVB radiation.
- Keep your hands and eyewear clean. Wash your hands thoroughly and often. Disinfect and clean eyewear and contacts regularly and properly to prevent eye infections.
- Give your eyes a rest. Spending hours staring at a television or a computer screen can tire your eyes. Try the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look away about 20 feet in front of you for 20 seconds. This can help reduce eye strain.
If your senior parent is struggling with vision and is not able to complete daily tasks, or, if your aging loved one is not working toward healthy vision, call SYNERGY Homecare of Corona, Riverside, or Anaheim Hills. SYNERGY’s highly skilled and trained in-home caregivers are trained to provide compassionate, professional care to your senior parent. SYNERGY HomeCare’s in-home caregivers can ensure that your senior parent eats a nutritious meal and leads an independent, healthy lifestyle. Our in-home caregivers offer many in-home care services, such as:
- Errands and transportation: Driving to the doctor’s office or an appointment, picking up prescriptions, going grocery shopping, etc.
- Meal assistance: Complete and nutritious meal planning, preparing, and cleanup.
- Light housekeeping: Assistance with laundry, ironing, changing linens, kitchen/bathroom cleaning and organizing, etc.
- Companionship: Encouraging friendly and supportive conversation, active thinking (structuring pastimes, hobbies, and games), light exercise, etc.
About SYNERGY HomeCare of Anaheim Hills
SYNERGY HomeCare of Anaheim Hills is the name you can trust in Anaheim, Anaheim Hills, Yorba Linda, Tustin, Santa Ana, Orange and Placentia for personal home care. SYNERGY HomeCare of Anaheim Hills is part of a national franchise of non-medical home care offices dedicated to providing exceptional and affordable service to anyone of any age. SYNERGY HomeCare caregivers are available 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, to those in need – including seniors, expectant moms, those suffering from sports injuries and debilitating illnesses, and more. SYNERGY HomeCare of Corona & Riverside can be found online at http://www.synergyhomecare.com/agencies/ca/anaheim-hills/ca25 . The location also hosts active social media pages on Facebook and Twitter. Ken and Anna can be reached at 714- 706-1613 and [email protected] .
